This summer, the United States has been embroiled (see what I did there?) in an epic heat wave. Texas is usually hot at this time of the year, but the thermostat has been turned up 10o+ above average this year. That’s arguably not the ideal temperature for the USTA League 18+ Sectional Championships that was held in my local area last weekend. However, the opportunity to potentially advance to the National Championships is not for the faint of heart.
Last May, when cooler outdoor temperatures prevailed, I wrote about cold plunges in “Ice Bath for Post-Workout Recovery.” It described the training and health benefits as well as how I have been experimenting with cold plunges using a DIY approach. Basically, it involves a household bathtub and purchased bags of ice. In the interim, I have continued to take the cold plunge periodically using that method.
It was officially 110o when my team walked off the court Saturday afternoon following what amounted to back-to-back matches at Sectionals. Later in the evening, one of my teammates mentioned that she swung by her club for an ice plunge on her way home. In fact, ever since I wrote that original post, people have been regaling me with tales of the higher-end clubs in my local area that now offer cold plunge tubs as a service.
During this recent heat wave, I discovered that my DIY approach takes a little more advanced planning and much more ice to get the water to the right temperature. Anticipating that I would want a cold plunge after the scheduled back-to-back matches last Saturday, I filled one of my bathtubs with “cold” water. The floating thermometer that I use to measure the temperature indicated that it came out of the tap at 89.9o.
This summer has taught me to draw the water in advance to give it a chance to drop down to air-conditioned room temperature. Even so, I still need more ice than was required in the spring. I’m now chunking 4 or 5 7lb bags of ice into the water. I am also dumping the melted ice remnants from my rolling cooler into the mix when available.
It’s worth it.
Now that I am sensitized to the health benefits of the cold plunge, and perhaps more significantly that Google is aware that I am interested in that topic, I am coming across a plethora of articles extolling the health benefits of exposing your body to temperature extremes. As it turns out, extreme heat, such as sauna treatment sessions, is also beneficial.
My DIY version for heat treatment is playing daytime outdoor tennis in Texas. To all my friends from the USTA League 18+ Sectional Championships last weekend… That’s right, kids, it was good for us.
I highly recommend using a thermometer when doing the DIY version of this treatment.
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